Woodstock native Chevy Chase visits Ulster fundraiser

SAUGERTIES — Funny man and actor Chevy Chase found himself in a new role on Sunday. He spoke out in support of restoring the famed sculpture park in Saugerties known as Opus 40.

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By Pauline Liu

recordonline.com

By Pauline Liu

Posted Jun. 24, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Pauline Liu

Posted Jun. 24, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

SAUGERTIES — Funny man and actor Chevy Chase found himself in a new role on Sunday. He spoke out in support of restoring the famed sculpture park in Saugerties known as Opus 40.

He and his wife, Jayni, were guests at the Preservation Brunch, held on the grounds of the legendary landmark.

About 100 people attended the event. It officially kicked off the fundraising campaign aimed at repairing the six-and-a-half acre bluestone sculpture. The work was created by the late artist Harvey Fite.

"I've had the most pleasant experiences in my life being here with these two nuts," said Chase, flanked by Fite's two stepsons, Tad and Jonathan Richards.

The friendship between the two families has spanned generations, dating back to their grandparents.

Chase is from Woodstock. He and the Richards brothers recalled playing in what was then a rock quarry, while Fite painstakingly assembled his gigantic sculpture with winches and traditional quarryman tools.

"We'd say, 'Hey, who's that nut in the back piling up rocks?' " Chase said.

Fite also founded the Fine Arts department at Bard College. He called his sculpture Opus 40, because he thought it would take him 40 years to complete the massive project. Opus is the Latin word for work.

Fite was killed in an accidental fall in 1976, while in the midst of working on his sculpture.

"There's a form of symmetry, because Harvey worked on Opus 40 for 37 years, and he died about 37 years ago," said Tad Richards, who still lives on the sprawling 65-acre property with his wife, Pat.

Supporters of Opus 40 have already raised the $10,000 needed to repair one of the stone entrance ramps leading to the sculpture's central nine-ton monolith. The renovation work will begin in July.

Next, they hope to raise an additional $50,000 to repair a large stone wall that sustained damage from Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy.

Masons associated with the New Mexico-based Stone Foundation will be doing much of the restoration.

They hope to use the project to train young apprentices and pass along the skill to a new generation.

Opus 40 is on the National Register of Historic Places. Donations to the restoration fund can be made online at opus40.org.

"I gave my five dollars already to somebody in the parking lot and it really does need help," quipped Chase, who kept the audience laughing.